


(be my) midnight cinderella

by Lay_Us_Down



Category: TFBOYS (Band)
Genre: Cinderella AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2017-03-06
Packaged: 2018-09-26 15:59:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9910274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lay_Us_Down/pseuds/Lay_Us_Down
Summary: Note!This story is going to be pretty fast-pacing, since the festival is only a week, but this is NOT a relationship manual! You should NOT follow Wang Junkai and Wang Yuan's way in your relationship! Not unless your want your relationship to fall to pieces... I sound so depressing... but this is true!!! Do not follow the main characters, no matter how enchanting they become!!!





	1. Chapter 1

Intro  
One evening, his grandkids asked him, "Tell us about the first person you had a crush on!"  
He smiled indulgently at them. "Hmm..."  
"Grandpa..." The children groaned. The youngest child, Weikang, climbed onto his knee and gurgled happily.  
His smile trailed off when he wondered what answer to give them. "Is your grandmother home?"  
"No!" They shouted, feeling something creep up their spine when he got up slowly to close the door.  
Wang Junkai settled comfortably in his chair. "Well... there was someone before."  
The oldest, Xiaoming, about eleven, opened his eyes wide. "Is it a boy?"  
Wang Junkai hesitated. "We'll just refer to my crush as a 'he'."  
The most mature, Cenlin, who was seven at the time, gasped. "Oh my gosh!"  
Wang Junkai leaned back slowly and thought back.  
  
All the way on the other side of the world, Wang Yuan was just waking up. His wife smiled at him from her side of the bed. "Good morning!"  
Wang Yuan smiled sleepily and leaned over to kiss her. "Good morning, darling."  
They went through their daily morning routine before sitting down at the porch. Their grandchildren were coming to see them today.  
Meiling had to go to the market to buy some ingredients to make the children cookies, so she kissed Wang Yuan goodbye and after a few nags on his part decided to spend some time walking around.  
His five grandchildren came not quite some time after. They crowded around him, wanting to hear a story.  
"Tell us about the first person you had a crush on!"  
Wang Yuan smiled indulgently. "Hmm..."  
His smiled trailed off when he wondered what answer to give them.  
"Come on, Grandpa..." The children groaned.  
Wang Yuan smiled mysteriously at them. "One reason why?"  
"Because we're bored!"  
The youngest, Meizhen, crawled onto his lap and smiled her most adorable smile ever. "Please?"  
Wang Yuan laughed before sinking into his walking chair and thought back.  
  
#chapter1  
Five days before the masquerade ball Wang Junkai rolled his eyes at himself in the mirror. "I look like a freak."  
"No you don't!" His maid, Auntie Yolly, bustled about, fussing over his jacket. "You look very handsome."  
Wang Junkai tapped the feathered mask on his head. "I want something plainer."  
Auntie Yolly bustled back to the drawer and pulled out another ridiculously sequined and glittery mask. "How about this one?"  
Wang Junkai walked over and selected a black mask, no sequins or glitter or feathers on it, plain black with a white ribbon at the back. He put it on and turned to face the mirror.  
"I want this one." He said finally, turning to admire himself in the mirror.  
Auntie Yolanda nodded. "You look very handsome."  
Wang Junkai nodded, pleased.  
  
Wang Yuan swallowed. First time going to a ball.  
Five days before the masquerade, he was standing in front of his mirror, checking his second-hand suit and tie. "Mom? Can you help me sew up this part?"  
His mother rushed into the room, her sewing basket in one hand. "Of course. Take off your jacket."  
Wang Yuan slowly removed the black cloth and gave it to his mother before turning and selecting a plain white mask. Nothing on it, no sparkly sequins or glitter or anything. A crude black string tying it together.  
Wang Yuan tied it and looked at himself in the mirror. "Why do I have to go?"  
"Because you are the only person in the family who is eligible to attend and isn't working," his mother said softly. She said everything softly nowadays. Wang Yuan was growing worried.  
"Mom? Are you okay?"  
His mother smiled at the face in the mirror. "Of course I am. So excited that my little boy is going to his first ball!"  
Wang Yuan couldn't help but smile.  
  
One day to the ball Wang Junkai walked about the castle watching the servants hurry about sweeping up miniscule specks of dust on the floor and in the corners, or converse quietly with the musicians about what songs to play.  
He climbed over the wall to the garden behind the locked door. It sounded like something out of The Secret Garden, he thought laughingly to himself.  
He had this small space all to himself, and it was his own space. No one else knew about it, not even his father and mother.  
Wang Junkai sat down on the swing, feeling the sun shine on his hair. It was burning.  
He sat and wondered what amazing people he would meet. Dukes and Duchesses from other countries? Maybe royals from other lands?  
Most probably commoners from around here.  
Wang Junkai was fascinated with commoners. They managed to live such a meager life while he was having good fun in the palace. It made him feel like crying.  
He helped out whenever he could. The old folks loved him... He'd always tell them stories whenever he came.  
A pattering of footsteps rushed by, and Wang Junkai stopped his swinging for fear of being found out. Princes do not climb over walls, he reminded himself. Use the key.  
But it feels so much more fun!  
Wang Junkai stood up and went to walk by the rose bushes he planted. At the very end of the path were his favourite flowers, dandelions flying in the breeze. Wang Junkai planted them when he could.  
Now he couldn't but he stayed and watched them and their little "kids" fly away in the wind.  
It was enchanting, but lonely.  
  
One day to the ball Wang Yuan was sitting on the train, his suitcase above him and an old woman beside. His grandmother.  
"Aren't you excited, little Yuan?" She asked, smiling at her grandson.  
"Y-yes of course." Wang Yuan stuttered slightly.  
His grandmother patted his back gently, like when he was a kid and she used to do that whenever he drank too much milk and started to cough.  
"It'll be okay," she said. "You'll be meeting the royal family! How wonderful will that be!"  
Wang Yuan smiled. "And you will be spending a luxurious four days and three nights in a five star hotel, which made us wait ages before we could afford."  
His grandmother laughed. "I am looking forward to it!"  
Wang Yuan nodded before looking out of the window. It wasn't overcast and it wasn't very sunny either. It was sort of... in the middle.  
Wang Yuan dislikes in the middles, so he turned his head away.  
He fingered the white cloth mask in his hands. The ball was only for four days.  
  
On the ball itself Wang Junkai was being fussed over in his room. So many people ran about trying to make him look even better, and one even took away his black mask, and he couldn't condone those type of actions.  He rescued it, of course.  
He look at himself in the mirror. Too many clothes, too much fronts on himself that he didn't even recognise the person in the glass.  
"Well?" Auntie Yolly trilled, turning him around. "Don't you look handsome?"  
Wang Junkai thought he looked ugly, extremely ugly, but if other people thought that he looked handsome he'll just bear with it for the next few days.  
The servants all "wowed" and exclaimed over his clothing.  
Wang Junkai dismissed them and sat down on his bed. Eighteenth birthday. Eligible to get a wife.  
He heard about this in fairy tales. The prince need to take a bride, he chooses a commoner, they fall in love, something bad happens, but they always get back together.  
Wang Junkai smiled to himself. This was exciting and also very much horrible.  
  
On the day of the ball itself Wang Yuan dressed himself in his modest suit and tie and asked his grandmother how he looked.  
"You look very handsome, don't worry, little Yuan." She said, smiling.  
A ping from his phone started him. He picked it up and saw a call from his mom.  
"Hi, Mom. I was starting to go out."  
"Okay, have fun darling, just one thing. If you meet the crown prince, stay away from him."  
Wang Yuan thought that was an odd thing to say. "Why?"  
"Just to it and you'll be fine." His mother sounded worried, sick.  
"Okay. Mom, take care of yourself."  
They both hung up after "Goodbye" and Wang Yuan set off towards the castle.  
Stay away from the prince.  
  
Wang Junkai pressed his way through the crowd, so many people were in his way. They didn't recognize him as the prince, which he felt as lucky. He was treated like any other person.  
Wang Junkai thought that he was the only one at the ball with a plain mask, but someone else caught his eye. Another person, a boy, wearing a plain white mask with a black string at the back. Brown eyes.  
He was so obviously a commoner it hurt. His suit and tie were second hand, probably third, and his mask was home-made. It was a crude mask.  
Wang Junkai still made his way towards the boy.  
"Hi..."  
The boy looked started. "Oh, hello."  
"Can I try to guess who you are?"  
The boy's mouth curved into a smirk, like he didn't think Wang Junkai would guess his name correctly. "Sure."  
"Liu Zhihong?"  
"Nope."  
"Tian Yuwen?"  
"No..."  
Wang Junkai grumbled. "Fine. Can you tell me what's your name?"  
"You tell me yours first." The boy looked like he was about to laugh.  
Wang Junkai leaned over and whispered his name into the boy's ear.  
When he drew back the boy's face was bright red. "Oh..."  
He had the sense not to say it out loud. Suddenly the boy looked uncomfortable. "I... I should go..."  
Wang Junkai leaned forward and grasped his wrist loosely before he could go. "Don't... is it because I told you I'm the prince?"  
  
The warning swirled in Wang Yuan's mind.  
Stay away from the prince.  
Those black eyes looking from the mask looked like fathomless black holes, but they were warm enough. Wang Yuan was getting lost in them, and he wasn't used to the feeling.  
Now he let the prince go so close to him and he behaved inappropriately, what with the "tell me your name first" and all the other words...  
Wang Yuan was in turmoil and the prince seemed to know it.  
"Don't go..."  
Wang Yuan slipped his fingers gently out of his grasp. "Don't worry, if you need me I'm in the ballroom," he replied softly. "I just need some peace to myself."  
  
He could have understood, and he could have not, but either way as he watched the mysterious boy slip away from him, he felt something in his chest fall down to talk to the fishes, ah no, it never did.  
The dance started and Wang Junkai stood by the sidelines to watch the people dance. He looked for the boy in the white mask, but somehow he just couldn't find him. And suddenly everyone was wearing white masks, making it even more harder for him to find him.  
Wang Junkai finally found him near the balcony, talking to a senior. He paused, smiling at him.  
The senior nodded before walking away, and later it was just the two of them.  
"Hello..." He hesitated slightly. "Junkai. Can I call you that?"  
Wang Junkai blinked before smiling and nodding. "It's been pretty long since I heard that..."  
"Hmm? Then what do most people call you?"  
"They usually call me 'sir' or 'Prince Wang'."  
They talked, talked the longest conversation that Wang Junkai had always wanted to talk to someone with, someone who could laugh bit still look so refined, someone who wouldn't laugh at his weirdness.  
It was nice, it was happy. It was different from all the other conversations he ever had with people. He didn't feel lonely anymore.  
  
Their conversation ended when a woman caught hold of Wang Junkai's attention, and Wang Yuan slipped away without him knowing.  
He walked to the table and selected a strawberry tart. Tasting the glaze, Wang Yuan felt himself frown slightly. This definitely wasn't by the palace cooks. This tart had originality, it didn't have the unattractive lumps of sugar like the strawberry tart he used to treat himself to on his birthday. He should know, he worked there before. At the palace kitchens.  
A servant hurried forward. "Sir? You do not like the tart?"  
Wang Yuan smiled at her. "No, quite on the contrary, I like it a lot. Who made this tart?"  
Maybe it was something in his tone, or the mask on his face, that made the servant tell him. He did ask his mother to make it out of leftover cloth from the Mad Hatter's workshop, after all. Everyone knew they held magic.  
"It was done by the Duke's daughter?" He mused quietly. "Thank you very much."  
The servant nodded. "If you excuse me, sir, I need to be back in the kitchen."  
He nodded and watched her scurry back to the kitchen. It must be nice having helpers, he thought quietly to himself. No need to get your hands dirty cleaning out the sink or washing the dishes.  
He saw a pale-skinned girl heading gracefully towards the table. Wang Yuan moved aside but by accident came face to face with her.  
"Excuse me," he murmured, turning to leave before someone wrapped their fingers around his wrist.  
Something jolted up his arm. He spun around. The girl asked softly, "Do you like my tart?"  
"'My tart'?" Wang Yuan said confusedly. "You're the Duke's daughter?"  
She nodded shyly. Wang Yuan immediately sank into a low bow...  
Before having her pull him up by his shoulders. "How are my tarts?"  
Wang Yuan took another bite of the tart. "Very nice. I like the glaze. And the strawberries!"  
"Different from the palace cook's tarts?" She sounded anxious.  
"Yes." Wang Yuan said.  
She looked happy and relieved. "Do you know if the King has tried them yet?"  
Wang Yuan shook his head. "I just came here..."  
"Oh..." The girl was slightly downcast but she popped up again. "What's your name?"  
Wang Yuan pressed his mouth upwards in a smirk."Isn't the whole point of a masquerade ball to not reveal yourself?"  
She giggled. "Smart."  
Wang Yuan extended his hand politely. "Would you care for a dance, my lady?"  
She, twittering, placed her hand in his, and he whisked her off to the dance floor.  
But on his mind, not at the back, he was looking for Wang Junkai. The tart felt slightly like cardboard now.  
  
Wang Junkai caught sight of the boy in the white mask. He realised that he didn't know his name, so he tried to make his way over the dance floor, but another girl, about his age, grabbed his hands.  
"Hello," she whispered softly, "would you care for a dance?"  
And so Wang Junkai had no choice other than to go with her.  
It was awkward, it was quiet, it was silent, bit at the same time it was relieving. All the other women had tried to engage him in conversation, and it was tiring.  
After a thousand years, the dance ended and they released hands. She suddenly said, "May I know who you are?"  
"Isn't the whole point of a masquerade ball not to reveal yourself?" Wang Junkai said laughingly.  
They were silent. "My name's Weixiong."  
Wang Junkai nodded. "Unique name."  
They separated and Wang Junkai walked off, still looking for the boy until he felt someone tap his shoulder. He spun around and came face to face with him. "Hello!"  
"Hi," Wang Junkai said, feeling his face break into a smile.  
They stayed the rest of the ball together, just talking. It was so fun, having someone to talk to for once. Wang Junkai actually didn't feel lonely for the second time in that ballroom.  
All too soon the ball ended, and while Wang Junkai was called onto the stage Wang Yuan disappeared.  
Wang Junkai searched the room with his eyes, but suddenly that plain mask was nowhere in sight.  
His heart sank.  
  
Wang Yuan took that moment, when Wang Junkai wasn't looking, to run out of the ballroom and back to the hotel his grandmother stayed at. He unlocked the door and found her sleeping, still in her clothes, the television on showing an old Chinese movie.  
He smiled before covering her with a blanket before letting himself into the shower.  
The hot water sprayed onto him and he thought back to that night.  
我听见下雨的声音  
Wang Yuan grabbed his phone, which was covered with a waterproof case. "Hello?"  
"Yuan darling?"  
"Hi mom!"  
He quickly showered while talking to his mother, his phone propped up against the mirror.  
His mother asked suddenly, "Did you meet the prince?"  
"Yes." He said softly, truthfully, reluctantly.  
"Did you stay away from him?" Her voice was worried, scared.  
"I don't think he's all that bad..." Wang Yuan said, thinking about the conversations they had.  
His mother sounded so defeated, so sad that Wang Yuan felt like crying. "So you had a conversation with him?"  
Wang Yuan kept silent but nodded at the phone.  
"Okay... just be on your guard around him, little Yuan," she said, her voice seemingly choked with tears. "Mummy loves you."  
Wang Yuan ducked back into the shower to wash away the tears on his face. "I love you too... Mummy."  
The call ended.  
Wang Yuan changed into his pajamas and lay on his bed, facing his grandmother, who was facing the ceiling.  
He was facing the right.  
He imagined how the ball would have gone without Wang Junkai. Very long and very boring for sure.  
And who was the Duke's daughter?  
What was her name?  
Why did she go so close to him, so obviously a commoner?  
And, why can't he get Wang Junkai out of his mind?  
He imagined a boy, black mask, warm eyes, and fell asleep.  
  
Wang Junkai waited until all the guests had left before taking a shower. He washed himself while listening to his favourite song.  
听见下雨的声音  
想你用辰语 说爱情  
幸福也可以 很安静  
我付出一直 很小心  
Wang Junkai received a call. "Hello?"  
"Dear, there's some food downstairs if you're hungry." His mother sounded tired. "If you need anything, just ask Yolanda."  
Wang Junkai said, "Sure, love you Mom, goodnight."  
She replied with a "Goodnight dear" before hanging up and Wang Junkai dried himself and changed into pajamas before padding downstairs and eating a tart.  
He chewed before shrugging. It was cold. An unattractive lump of sugar here and there, but other than that, it tasted the same.  
He went to his room, feeling even more lonely than before. Imagining how the ball would have went without Wang Yuan didn't make his feelings any better.  
He lay down on the bed, facing the left.  
And who was this Weixiong?  
Did she have a title? Was she invited?  
Why did she suddenly grab his hands?  
And, why can't he get Wang Yuan out of his mind?  
He imagined a boy, white mask, brown eyes, and fell asleep.  
  
As if they were side by side, they fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note!  
> This story is going to be pretty fast-pacing, since the festival is only a week, but this is NOT a relationship manual! You should NOT follow Wang Junkai and Wang Yuan's way in your relationship! Not unless your want your relationship to fall to pieces... I sound so depressing... but this is true!!! Do not follow the main characters, no matter how enchanting they become!!!

The very next day (also known as Day No.2 of the festival), Wang Yuan was inside with his grandmother watching her favourite cooking show while it stormed outside. She was knitting when the show finished, and Wang Yuan lazily flicked through the channels on the television, although he wasn't paying attention to the shows. His heart was pounding wildly. The festival was still going on, but how was he going to go there? Walk in the rain?  
Six o'clock drew near and Wang Yuan felt himself grow tenser than before. Why couldn't he just shrug this off like normal?   
His grandmother noticed. "Little Yuan, are you excited for the ball?"  
More anxious than excited, Wang Yuan thought, but replied, "A little, Grandmother."  
She smiled and ruffled his hair. "I remember when I was your age I was also very excited for my first ball!"  
Wang Yuan listened to her story while he thought of a boy in a black mask.

The very next day (also known as Day No.2 of the festival), Wang Junkai was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling while the sky stormed outside. He felt as if the world was screaming at him, for paying so much attention to a commoner.  
Junkai rolled over and glared at his suit and tie hanging on his wardrobe. "Why do I have to go for this ball?" He grumbled.  
"Because you are the prince, and you must be present, or it is rude." He answered himself.  
The lighting flashed outside, as if agreeing with his answer. Wang Junkai scowled at the sky.  
Raining on the second day of the festival was not a good sign, and his father was tearing his hair out about it. His mother was downstairs, frantically making his favourite blueberry pie in order to cease his incessant pacing about and worried murmuring.  
Wang Junkai rolled about on his bed. The boy in the white mask appeared in his mind's eye, and he smiled shyly at him, the way he did that made Wang Junkai want to scream.  
Or kiss him.  
Junkai rolled over and buried his face in his pillow. This was one of the days you just wanted to bury yourself inside your blanket and hide from the whole world.  
Maybe for an hour or two, and then you emerge and go back to being the child everyone wants. The perfect prince.  
Was this called love?  
Wang Junkai raised his eyebrows sceptically at the thought. No, he didn't like the boy like that. He just wanted a kiss. Was that liking him like that?  
Was that called loving him?  
"Junkai! Kaikai, it's time to get ready for the ball!" His mother knocked gently on his door.  
Junkai stared at the brown mahogany. "We're having a ball while it's raining?"  
"All the people will come in carriages or at least taxis. And we're holding the ball inside the ballroom, silly, not outside in the garden," his mother's voice replied. "Chop chop, time to change."  
Wang Junkai rolled off his bed and onto his feet. "I don't think the commoners will come in a cab."  
"Then they'll walk." His mother said firmly, coming into the room and grabbing his suit. "And you need to change."  
Junkai sighed and wondered if the boy in the white mask was coming or not.

It was 6.30 and the ball formally started at 7, but you could arrive any time after and a few minutes before it. Wang Yuan had loads of time, but he also felt rather worried.  
He fingered the white mask in his hands. Could sense its magic, could fear its magic.   
Could control its magic.  
Wang Yuan turned it over and slipped it on. He laughed at his grandmother. "Hi Grandma! Can I have a chocolate cookie?"  
On most days she would tell him no and to watch his weight but for some reason today she looked at him and went, "Okay then, Little Yuan."  
Wang Yuan went to the stash of food he brought and quickly took off the mask. This was white leftover cloth from the Mad Hatter's Workshop... maybe the Mad Hatter really was running it!  
But then the man behind the counter was the boss, and he didn't look too old. Maybe in his late thirties.   
People still flocked to his shop. It was forever crowded until midnight, when the Mad Hatter (or so he was called) closed up the shop. His mother managed to squeeze into the shop when she was out buying groceries at about seven in the evening, when the people at the market would only be selling the old vegetables, and at a lower price than in the day and and he gave her some of his leftover cloth to make his mask.   
White colour.  
No sequins, no glitter, no feathers.  
Just a normal, white mask.  
Wang Yuan took out a cookie packet and bit into the chocolate cookie.  
No sequins, no glitter, no feathers.  
The phrase was stuck in his head now, for no particular reason. He was just bored.  
(Finally!) At 6.30, the rain stopped, and Wang Yuan started walking to the ball, hidden with the commoners.  
Wang Yuan tried to keep the prince off his mind by thinking of something else.  
He missed his mother.

Wang Junkai stood smiling at everyone from the dance floor, a "good afternoon" and a "isn't the weather wonderful now" and a lie: "I just moved here, how is life like in this kingdom?"  
His people loved talking about the kingdom, so Wang Junkai let them and instead stared off into space.  
This wasn't a formal ball or anything, and they couldn't just say "Mr and Mrs So-and-So of the Commoners", so everyone came in silently and quietly.  
Wang Junkai yawned slightly, covering his mouth. He walked over to the side of the dance floor, watching everyone mill about and make small talk.  
His father suddenly clapped a hand on his shoulder. "How is everything, son?"  
"Going very well." Wang Junkai murmured, his eyes scanning the crowd. Was he coming today?   
"Looking for someone?"  
"Not really." Wang Junkai looked away to the staircase where the invited walked down. No boy in a white mask.  
His father said suddenly, "Do you see anyone that catches your eye?"  
"In what sense?" Wang Junkai said absently, adjusting his mask when someone glanced over. He didn't feel particularly happy about being down here suddenly.  
His father cleared his throat. "In a marriageable sense."  
Wang Junkai raised his head quickly. "What do you mean? No I didn't."  
That sounded slightly guilty and a bit too fast.  
His father raised an eyebrow at him, or Wang Junkai thought that anyway. "Are you sure?"  
"Yes." Junkai eased his shoulder out of his father's grasp. "Excuse me."  
Wang Junkai walked through the crowd so his father wouldn't see him, then escaped to the table laid with desserts and even proper food like roast potato or something.  
Wang Junkai felt his lips curve into a smile when he saw the boy in the white mask enter the ballroom, looking rather shy and quiet. At that exact moment it was 7 o'clock.  
The dances started and someone else whisked him off onto the dance floor.

Wang Yuan knew he arrived right on time when the dances started immediately after he stepped foot into the ballroom.   
He made his way over to the side of the ballroom, watching in light interest as the masked people danced about with the others. He couldn't recognise anyone, however, so he just stood quietly by himself, at the side of the dance floor.  
Someone tapped him on his shoulder.  
Wang Yuan turned his head immediately, his heart beating quickly but slowing when he realised it wasn't the prince.  
What was he thinking, anyway? He wondered to himself. The black-masked boy wouldn't really remember him, anyway. Right?  
"We meet again, mysterious boy." The girl laughed softly.  
"Good evening... my lady." Wang Yuan said smoothly.   
"More like 'hi'." She said laughingly. Wang Yuan smiled. "Did you purposely come to find me or did we meet by accident?"  
"By accident," she said, blushing. "I was actually looking for my lemon tarts but wound up on the other side of the ballroom. Dance me there?"  
"As you wish, my lady." Wang Yuan bowed, and she giggled.  
He twirled her over to the other side, and she said breathlessly as they separated hands, "You are a very good dancer."  
Wang Yuan nodded. "Yes I am."  
"And very fast."  
He was not going to tell her that he wanted the dance over quickly.  
"Ah -- I see your lemon tarts," Wang Yuan said, pointing over right to the end of the table. She rushed over to the place he pointed and Wang Yuan breathed out a sigh of relief.  
Yet again someone tapped him on his shoulder.  
"Hi..."  
Wang Yuan turned and felt his face break into a smile. "Oh, hello."  
Wang Junkai smiled back at him. "Can I try to guess your name again?"  
"Sure, but I'm not very sure if you'll get it correct." Wang Yuan smirked, his hand reaching out to grab a small frosted cupcake.  
"Where are you from?"  
Wang Yuan thought for a while."Around here."  
He finished the cupcake and Wang Junkai still hadn't come up with a reply to his answer. He looked... stumped.  
"I told you my name is hard to guess." Wang Yuan said, licking at the icing around his lips.  
He felt his face turn red when Wang Junkai stared for a moment too long, and he turned for a napkin.  
"Is your name two words or one?" Wang Junkai asked.  
"Uh... with the surname included?"   
"No."  
"Yah, then no. Only one word. And it starts with Y."  
"Yadon?"  
"Nope."  
"Raymond."  
"It starts with a Y, silly."  
"Yeesh, this is hard?"  
Wang Yuan laughed and Junkai laughed. "Why can't you tell me?"  
"Because the whole point of this ball is not to let anyone know who you are." Wang Yuan started to move again, just to see if he would follow --  
He did.   
"But you know who I am!" Junkai protested, and Wang Yuan had to admit, he sounded cute.  
"That's because you told me. Voluntarily." Wang Yuan replied, weaving his way through the mass of people. When he looked back, he could only see glimpses of Junkai.  
"Hey, I can't see you." Someone reached out and grasped his wrist, only to slip away again when someone accidentally pushed between them and their linked hands fell.  
Wang Yuan laughed to himself before letting himself fade away again from Junkai's eyes. This was fun, although it felt too much like the cat-and-mouse game.

Wang Junkai huffed to himself when the boy disappeared again. Next time he saw him he was going to follow him the whole time the ball lasted, Junkai thought to himself as he squeezed through the crowd.  
Thanks for leaving me here.  
Junkai frowned, trying to guess his name. He was so mysterious, always running away whenever he liked it.   
It was getting annoying, but also on a daily basis he had to disappear at least once before reappearing again.  
Wang Junkai continued searching...

... while Wang Yuan continued hiding.  
He laughed and quickly walked away whenever he saw Wang Junkai's black mask or his mop of hair.   
Suddenly the clock bonged twelve midnight and Wang Yuan held his breath as Wang Junkai didn't go on stage again, but his father did. He wished them all a good night, and that the ball had officially ended, but they were still welcome to stay for a few hours, and more stuff.  
Wang Yuan saw Junkai's eyes latch on him and he waved goodbye teasingly before running out of the castle.  
He walked among the commoners again, occasionally looking behind his back to see if the prince was following him.  
Of course he wasn't...  
Wang Yuan opened the door to his suite and found his grandmother sleeping on the twin bed. The papers were on her lap, and a warm cup of coffee was slowly simmering beside her on the bedside table.  
Wang Yuan switched off the light beside her and folded the newspapers before replacing it back on her lap.  
He showered, and he was about to call his mother when someone else called instead.  
这风铃 跟心动很接近  
这封信 还在怀念旅行  
路过的 爱情都太年轻  
你是我想要 再回去的风景  
Wang Yuan waited until the third lone before accepting the call.  
Yeah, he had different songs for each contact on his phone.  
"Hi Dad!"  
His father was actually abroad now, working. Wang Yuan didn't know he had time to call him, but it was a good surprise.  
"Hi, son." His father's voice replied him. "How was the ball? I'm sorry I didn't manage to call yesterday."  
Wang Yuan felt something murmur contentedly in his chest. "It's okay, Dad. The masquerade was quite fun, actually. I met a few people."  
"Did you meet the prince?"  
Wang Yuan swallowed. He didn't want to disappoint his father too, not after he heard his mother. "Yes, I did, but I didn't talk a lot to him."  
"You didn't? Are you sure?" His father sounded worried, now, like his mother.  
"Yes, but what's wrong with the prince? He sounds perfectly sane to me." Wang Yuan said, quietly, defensively.  
"Just... don't try to stay close to him, and if he sticks to you, tell us." Wang Yuan's father said. Wang Yuan could imagine him pacing about his hotel room, his face frowning.  
"Okay." Wang Yuan said, finally.  
"Okay. Have a good night's sleep, Little Yuan."  
"Night, Dad."  
The call ended.  
Wang Yuan changed into his sleepwear and crawled into bed, too tired to think of anything...   
Except the prince.  
Wang Yuan shifted when he thought of the cat-and-mouse game. Maybe it wasn't very polite to play that.  
But it was so fun!  
Wang Yuan blinked.  
And he smiled to himself before falling asleep.  
Maybe... maybe he liked the prince more than he let on.

Wang Junkai wasn't very excited about anything that night.  
He wasn't hungry, so he didn't eat anything.  
Wang Junkai took a shower, and in the middle he received a call.  
这风铃 跟心动很接近  
"Hello?"  
"Kaikai!"  
Wang Junkai banged his head gently against the wall, but responded nonetheless. "Hello..."  
His aunt laughed from the phone. "Hi, my little prince. It's been so long since we last called each other!"  
"Yeah..." Wang Junkai pretended to do the Math, although he already knew the answer. "Last week, right?"  
"Yes! So long," she gushed. "How was your first ball? I'm so sorry I didn't get to call you yesterday... I had a lot of stuff on my plate."  
"It's okay." Wang Junkai resisted the urge of saying _You can call later next time too. How about next year?_  
And then he felt rather mean.  
"The ball was quite interesting, actually. I met a few people."   
"That sounds wonderful, darling." His aunt's voice became preoccupied. "Sorry, little prince, but Auntie has to go now. Talk to you later!"  
She hung up and Wang Junkai changed into his sleepwear and crawled into bed, too tired to think of anything...   
Except the mysterious white masked boy.  
Wang Junkai shifted uncomfortably when he remembered him with the icing around his mouth. He looked cute... and also made Wang Junkai want to kiss him.  
The prince groaned. What was all this stuff going into his head?! This was wrong this was wrong this was wrong...  
Wang Junkai fell asleep with the boy in his mind, and a smile on his face.

They had a good day today, and now it was time to wonder if he liked him.

 

\-------------  
The song is Handwritten Past by Jay Chou (周杰伦的“手写的从前”)

 


End file.
